The Not Just For Children Bookshelf

Delightful, innocent, nostalgic, whatever your minds jumps to when you think back to your favourite childhood books I love the fact that just thinking of those simple words on a page can bring back fond memories. Whether you are reading these titles to a little person or just enjoying them for yourself here are my favourite children's books that in my opinion are just as enjoyable for adults, no matter your age.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. The fact that this book is such a mind-trip lends itself well to being read by adults. Getting lost inside Carroll's bizarre world with Alice can take on an entirely new perspective when read as an adult.

Harry Potter by J.K Rowling. I love that kids are still discovering the magic of the Harry Potter series just as strongly as when it was first released. I was the same age as Harry throughout all the books and it really felt like growing up with a character. Easily the most read series of books in my collection and one that I have read more times as an adult than as a teenager.

Winnie The Pooh by A.A Milne. Before Pooh bear was Disney-fied he was a lovingly hand-drawn teddy bear who spent his days getting up to mischief in the hundred acre wood waiting for Christopher Robin to come home from boarding school. The illustrations alone are reason enough to pick up this book and get all nostalgic over these much loved characters. The drawings of piglet and pooh are some of my favourite.

The Collective Works of Roald Dahl. The Twits, The Witches (most terrifying movie of my childhood), George's Marvellous Medicine, Dahl's mix of humour and ick factor are what make them so adored by children and a total crack up for adults to read.

The Collective Works of Dr Seuss. You may be fooled into thinking that Dr Seuss' catchy rhymes are all fun and word games but there's some pretty powerful and positive messages going on here too. Like 'Oh The Places You'll Go' is a great reminder that you can do anything and go anywhere that you put your mind to or the environmental warning in The Lorax about not cutting down all the trees and totally effing up our environment for a profit. Yep, powerful stuff.

Confessions of A Book Blogger

Whether they be annoying habits that you have as a reader or just things born out of habit I thought I would explore some of my book related quirks.

Not being able to not finish a book. I have a real problem with just leaving a book midway through, even if it really sucks I feel loathe to just abandon it. I'm like this with movies too, it pains me to not know the endings to even sucky things. 

Judging books by there covers especially if they look 'old'. If we aren't supposed to judge them by their cover then why, prey tell do they even have cover art in the first instance? My habit of judging books by their covers especially when it comes to picking up anything that looks like it's historically set actually fares me pretty well. It's also the reason I hardly pick anything up that is pink or overly girly looking.

Re-reading books. I see my bookshelf as a set of old friends (okay not literally, I am not that sad and friendless) that I can invite back into my life time and again, sentimental non? Seriously though if I think a book is brilliant once it's usually just as brilliant the fourth or fifth time. 

Being picky about the books I buy. I'm actually an avid library user and don't buy every book I read. Usually through my trusty judgement skills (see point two) I can deduce which books will earn a lofty spot on my bookshelf.

I don't actually have a bookshelf. Due to renovations of our humble abode, hating to own too much furniture and the fact that half of my books live in storage in New Zealand, *breathe* my current books reside in a sad looking banana box. I know, book bloggers everywhere shed a tear. 

I will always be pro paper. (Because one day I will sort my shit out about that bookcase and my books will be on display.) But curse my boyfriends kindle every time we travel and I am lugging my books to the airport. I took three paperbacks to Borneo for the week. There is something not right about that.

So, it's time for you to come clean, what are your bad book habits?

February New Release Books

Forget roses and chocolates this Valentines Day, what your significant other should be looking at is a really good book if they want to impress you. Take a look at these new releases for February:

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. In war torn occupied France, two sisters Isabelle and Vianne are surviving as best they can through different but equally trying circumstances. Vianne's husband leaves to join the troops at the front and she is forced to take an enemy into her home. Isabelle is betrayed in love and her heartbreak compels her to fight for the resistance. An epic novel that tells the not often seen perspective of women during WW2.

Paris for One by Jojo Moyes. A short read at only 92 pages from this best selling author of Me Before You. Nell's planned mini-break to Paris doesn't quite go to plan when her boyfriend fails to show up for their trip. At 26 Nell has never been the adventurous type but her weekend away solo might just be the trip she needs to change her spirit.

Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon. Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon writes a rich and compelling memoir about her journey from girl to woman during her years leading up to and during Sonic Youth. From men, marriage and music Gordon opens up about what it was like to be a woman embarking on a journey of rock and roll.